After 12 weeks, here are your favorite quotes from They Say, We Say, You Say. First, read classic quotes from some of your favorite hoopheads over the second half of the season, then vote in the poll at the bottom and select your favorite Quote of the Year! We'll announce the winner on Monday, April 21.

The Winning Quote of the Year (as of 12 p.m. ET on April 21):
1. The Blazers' Bonzi Wells (21% of 9,474 votes)
2. The Lakers' Kobe Bryant (14%)
3. The Rockets' Yao Ming, April 7-13 (14%)

Jan. 20-26: Charles Oakley, F, Washington Wizards:
"(In the East) it's not really hard to be in the middle of the pack. If we were in the West, we probably wouldn't be in the pack. We'd be in the backyard somewhere with the dogs and can't get in the house. But in the East, we've got a chance to find an open door so we can come on through the house"
--Oakley, on the difference between the East and West playoff pictures (Associated Press, Jan. 15)

Jan. 27-Feb. 2: Ben Wallace, C, Detroit Pistons:
"You know I have to go with the 'Fro. Fear the 'Fro."
--Wallace, when asked if he'd go with an Afro or cornrows for his first-ever All-Star appearance (Detroit Free Press, Jan. 22)

Feb. 3-10: Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets:
"I really don’t know. It’s just like, how will you know the taste of the Szechuan spicy dish before eating it?"
--Yao, on whether he thinks he'll get more minutes than Shaq in the 2003 All-Star Game (Jan. 29)

Feb. 11-17: Allen Iverson, G, Philadelphia 76ers:
"It’s not possible to fill Michael Jordan’s shoes. Like if he named five guys, it’s probably going to take five or ten more to try to fill those big shoes."
--Iverson, on whether Jordan can ever be replaced (Feb. 7)

Feb. 18-23: Kobe Bryant, G, L.A. Lakers:
"It's easy for you to talk, because you don't have to guard me."
--Bryant, talking to Chris Whitney during the Lakers' 121-93 win over Denver (Los Angeles Daily News, Feb. 12)

Feb. 24-March 2: Bonzi Wells, G, Portland Trail Blazers:
"Everyone had their hands in Kobe's face. My momma had a hand in his face and he still hit it."
--Wells, on trying to defend Kobe Bryant (Feb. 24)

March 3-9: Shaquille O'Neal, C, L.A. Lakers:
"I think he should just suck it up and show up. I think he should coach through the pain."
--O'Neal, joking about Phil Jackson missing a game to recover from having a kidney stone removed (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 25)

March 10-16: Larry Brown, Coach, Philadelphia 76ers:
"I don't peek in the bathroom very often, but I heard some sounds and saw somebody on his knees. He's white normally, but he's really white now."
--Brown, on Keith Van Horn missing a game with a stomach virus (Philadelphia Daily News, March 3)

March 17-23: Phil Jackson, Coach, L.A. Lakers:
"Too much Billups tonight. He made me want to throw up."
--Jackson, after Pistons guard Chauncey Billups had torched the Lakers for 33 points in a Detroit win (Detroit Free Press, March 13)

March 24-30: Mike Bibby, G, Sacramento Kings:
"He's probably looking for a little more attention, since Kobe (Bryant) has been getting all of the love. I can't fault him for that."
--Bibby, responding to negative comments about him from Shaquille O'Neal (Sacramento Bee, March 20)

March 31-April 6: Speedy Claxton, G, San Antonio Spurs:
"I told him I had it and he still grabbed it. He was going for the double-double, so he messed up my triple-double."
--Claxton, joking about going after his 10th rebound against Milwaukee at the same time as Tim Duncan (San Antonio Express-News, March 26)

April 7-13: Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets:
"Usually when I've seen him, I've seen him behind a podium. I didn't know he was that short."
--Yao, after meeting Commissioner David Stern for lunch (Houston Chronicle, April 2)



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FAVORITE QUOTE!